Paper-box construction



Oct. 9 1923.

PAPER BOX CONSTRUCTI 0N SMITH Filed Dec. 9. 1920 0 M r m B m .m Wm 8 M m w ww Patented Uct. 9, i923.

PAPER-BOX oons'rnuorron.

Application filed December 9, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY BRIDGMAN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Paper- Box Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of paper boxes of the type which have multi-ply end walls, usually formed from a single blank having corner laps that are folded to overlie the end walls of the box.

Boxes of this type are very strong and durable, because of the strong corners provided by the corner laps, and they dispense entirely with corner stays and corner-staying operations necessary in the production of boxes from cornered blanks.

.As corner-lap boxes are usually constructed, the corner laps are quite short, so that when they are folded to overlie the end .uings of the blank, the free edges of the laps are considerably separated, leaving a substantial. area of the end-wing surface exposed. between such edges. When an orna mental cover-paper is applied to the outer surfaces of the box-shell, the shoulders or ridges formed by the lap-edges are plainly visible on the surface of the cover-paper; and this unsightly appearance is very undesirable in covered boxes in which the covered surface should be, of course, as smooth and perfect as possible,

It has heretofore been found impracticable to cut the corner-laps so that their endedges will accurately abut each other, to provide a smooth base for application of the cover-paper; and if the laps were out too long, or long enough to overlap each other, a shoulder would be formed near the center of the box-end, which would produce avery prominent and undesirable ridge in the cover-paper.

My invention avoids the diiliculties de scribed by dimensioning the corner-laps so that their outer ends are intentionally some what overlapped, and reducing the thickness of the overlapping margins of the corner laps, so that the total thickness of the overlapped portions is substantially the same as the thickness of the shell-blank; and a substantially flat and uniform base for the ap plication of the cover paper is provided; and this is true even when there are moderate in- Serial No. 429,399.

accuracies in the formation of the blank, or in the locations of the meeting edges of the corner laps. lVhen the cover is applied, therefore, it fits smoothly and evenly over the ends of the box, withoutany irregularity due to the formation of the shell-end structure.

The invention also provides a strongly-reinforced box-end structure, due to the corner laps extending entirely across the end wings, and the 21dlIESlVGfOnIlGCtlOD of their overlapping edges, as Well as the adhesive-connection of the laps to the surfaces of the end wings.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently described in connection with the detail description of the accompanying drawing, which shows exemplifying embodiments of the invention. After considering these, persons skilled in the art will understand that many variations may be made in accordance with the principles disclosed; and l contemplate the employment of any structures that are within the scope of the claims.

Fig. l is a plan view of a box shell embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the blank,

Fig. 3 is atop plan view of a box part consisting of the blank of Fig. l folded and secured in box form,

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section,

Fig. 5 is perspective view of the box shell with thee/over paper applied, forming a completed box part,

Fig. 6 is a detail showing one other mode of forming the meeting portions of the corner laps, and

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the corner laps as formed in Fig. 6 properly put together.

The box shell blank as shown in Fig. 1 comprises, as usual in boxes of this type, a body portion a, and integral side wings 7), end Wings 0, and corner laps (Z integral with the side wings. The blank is cut along the lines 6 and is creased or scored along other lines of connection between dilferent members of the blank. The blanks of this sort are folded up to the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the corner laps overlying the end wings and glued to them; and with these blanks as ordinarily made, the length of the corner laps is much less than that shown in the drawing, and the edges f are of unreduced thickness. This produces an uneven end surface of the completed box-shell, with the undesirable consequences previously 6X- plained.

To avoid this diiiiculty, in my invention the corner laps near the edges 7 are reduced in thickness, and conveniently this reduction may be produced by cutting or skiving the blanks to produce bevelled marginal portions y. The corner laps are also dimensioned so that the edges of the corner laps are intentionally overlapped. Also, the bevelled surfaces ff of the two corner laps at the same end of the box are desirably formed on opposite sides of the blank, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

l/Vhen the blank so formed with bevelled marginal surfaces g is folded into box form, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bevelled surfaces g meet and overlap and form a close connection of substantially the same thick ness a th material of the blank, regardless whether the overlap is moderately inaccurate or not. Evidently a considerable variation from the correct position of the corner laps shown in Fig. 3 in either direction, that is, such as to either produce a greater or smaller amount of overlap, will not produce any considerable variation in the thickness of the material which overlies the end wings substantially at their centers.

Fig 5 shows the box shell covered in the usual, way with a cover blank it according to the tight-wrapped method. The cover paper fits perfectly and smoothly at the ends is of the box part and this smooth and per feet appearance of the cover will be produced, as previously indicated, regardless of reasonable variations in the accuracy of formation of the shell.

Figs. 6 and 7 show one of the many modifications which may be made in the formation of the margins of the corner laps. In this case the blank is cut away to a uniform thickness for a considerable distance from the edge 7", producing marginal portion m substantially half the thickness of the blank material. These portions of reduced thick nes are oppositely arranged on the differ ent corner laps at the same end of the box, as indicated in Figs. (Sand 7, so that when the blank is folded up the marginal portions on will overlap and form a wall of materialoverlying the end wings of substantially the same thickness throughout. In the broader aspect of the invention, therefore, the exact shaping of the marginal portions of the corner laps is not material, so long as they are properly formed to produce the intended result... The beveled fOIInatlOn shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is preferable in some cases.

I claim I.

1. A box shell blank having corner laps, the free ends of which are reduced in thick ness, the reduction being made on opposite surfaces of the blank with respect to the corner laps at the same end of the box.

2. A box part formed from a blank comprising a body portion, side and end wings and corner laps having overlying margins of reduced thickness. I

A box part formed from blank. comprising a body portion. side and end wings and corner laps having be elled overlapping marginal portions.

a. A box part formed from a blank comprising a body portion, side and end wings and corner laps having overlapping marginal portions of reduced thickness so that the thickness of material at the ends of the box part is approximately the same throughout.

5. A. box part formed from a single blank comprising a. body portion, integral side and end wings. and corner laps integral with the side wings. the corner laps being folded over the end wings and secured thereto adjacent: marginal portions of the corner laps being overlapped and of reduced thickness to produce substantial uni :t'ormity of thickness throughout the end walls of the box part.

(i. A. box part formed from a blank comprising a body portion, integral side and end wings, and corner laps integral with the side wings, the corner laps being folded over the end wings and secured thereto, adjacent marginal portions of the corner laps being bevelled and overlapped.

7. A. covered box part characterized by smooth and even fit of the cover paper at the ends of the box'part, comprising ashell blanlr having corner laps provided with marginal portions of reduced thickness and overlapped. providing a substantially smooth and even surface for the support of the cover paper regardless of reasonable variations in the fitting of said overlapped marginal portions,

8. A box shell blank comprising a body portion, integral side and end wings, and corner laps integzl with the side wings. marginal portions of the corner laps being of reduced thickness, said marginal portions at each end of the blank being; arranged to cooperate when the blank. is folded into box form.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 6th day of November A. 1)., 1920.

PARRY BRIDGMAN SMITH. 

